Parachute harness



27, 145 H. w. ,KJELLSON 2,37@,57

PARACHUTE HARNESS Filed April 7, 1944 ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 27, 1945PARACHUTE HARNESS Henry Werner Kjellson, Stockholm, Sweden, assignor toIrvin Fallskarmsaktiebolag, Stockholm,\Sweden, a company of SwedenApplication April 7, 1944, Serial No. 529,979 In Sweden April 21,1943

6 Claims.

It is known to provide parachute harnesses in which the free ends of thestraps may be connected by means of a quick-release locking device orconnector arranged on the parachutists chest, and in which the wearersits as in a swing. As a rule, in addition to two front chest straps andtwo leg straps, the latter extending from the seat portion, there aretwo braces or webs, which, extending from a point on the front side ofeach shoulder, where the carrying ropes or shroud lines of the parachuteare attached, run along the wearers sides and carry the seat portion ofthe harness. Such a harness has the advantage that the parachutist sitscomfortably in it, but at the same time the drawback that the saidbraces together with the back straps form closed loops, which are notunloosed whenthe remainder of the harness is opened by means of thequick-release locking device. The harness therefore still acts like awaistcoat which the parachutist has to struggle out of In accordancewith the present invention, this drawback is eliminated by thearrangement that each of the braces or webs extending from the frontside of each shoulder in a direction towards the seat portion is adaptedto be connected with the quick-release device and forms a sling or loopwhich supports the leg straps extending from the seat portion of theharness. The leg straps consist of inner loops extending between thelegs, and of outer loops, which may extend either from a strap passingunder the seat or from a transversely running back seat strap. When thequickrelease device is released, the said braces or webs are likewisedisengaged and released from the leg straps, so that the wearer is atonce completely freed from the harness.

Parachute harnesses are known, which can at once he completely freedfrom the body on the release of the quick-release device. This type ofharness, however, has the drawback that the parachutist does not sitcomfortably in it, as it is devoid of the braces running along his sidesand carrying the seat portion. Instead, the entire tensile force issustained by the leg straps via the quick-release device, with theresult that the wearer sits more or less as in a noose. Moreover, at anyrate in certain designs of this type of harness, the leg straps, afterbeing released from the quick-release device, in certain circumstancesfall down over and lock one another, thus impeding the removal of theharness. These disadvantages are likewise eliminated by my invention.

The accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, shows forthe purpose of illustration, three forms of a harness in accordance withthe invention.

Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views of two embodiments and Figure 3shows the lower part of a modified form. Figure 4 shows particulars of afurther modification.

As shown in Figure l, the seat strap i of the harness is attached to thepack la of the parachute, but it is quite clear that the harness alsomay be of some other type, such as lap type, chest type or "back type.Extending from or attached to the seat strap I are leg straps 2 and 3 ofwhich the straps 2 are adapted to encircle along the outer sides of thelegs of the wearer while the straps 3 are adapted to encircle along theinner sides of the legs. As shown, each of the straps 2 and 3 form aclosed loop. Extending fromor attached to the seat strap I are alsoriser webs or back straps 4, 4a extending on the back of the wearer. Oneof these straps 4a carries a flap I 3 or the like having a pocket i4containing a handle i5 which is associated with the parachute by meansof a cable It. This handle is actuated by the parachutist in order torelease the parachute.

The harness is provided with a quick-release locking device or connector1, preferably attached to the flap l3, say by means of a short strap llstitched to the flap i3. The connector I may be of a known type.Extending on the chest of the wearer are chest straps 8, each having atone end a fastener part, say an eyelet l8 adapted to be connectedreleasably to the connector. In a similar manner further straps orbraces 5, 6 are connected with the connector 1 at one end 9 of theportion 6 of said braces of straps extending along the sides of thewearer. The fastener parts 9 and I8 may also be made in the form of pinsor in other known manner. The upper part 5 of the braces 5, 6 is formedas webs adapted to engage the shoulder of the wearer, while the lowerpart 6 may be formed as\a line or cord associated with the web 5 at ISin a suitable manner. The cords 6 are led through the loops formed bythe leg straps 2 and 3 and preferably said cords have round crosssection to enable them to run freely through the loops. Preferably, thecord 6 consists of a steel wire covered with leather or the like asindicated at 20 in Figure 3. However, the strap or web 5 may also bemade to extend itself through the loops of the leg straps and connectedwith the connector I.

It is clearly seen that the straps 4, 4a, 5, G and 8 form an upper slingfor the wearer while the leg straps 2, 3 form a lower sling, and bythese slings the parachutist is suspended as in a swing. The ends of thestraps 4, 4a, I and broken away on the drawing are connected with theshroud lines of the canopy of the parachute as usual. Clasps II or thelike may be arranged on the front side of each shoulder to hold togetherthe webs or straps 4, 4a, and 8. A back cross strap I! may be arrangedto connect the outer leg straps I and ii desired also the lower parts ofthe riser straps 4, 40.

On the release of the quick-release locking device or connector I, thestraps I are released and the cords I fall downwards and readily slideout of the loops of the leg straps 2 and 3, whereupon the body of thewearer is completely freed from the harness. The leg straps 2 and 3 maybe made adjustable to fit to the size of the body.

Fig. 2 shows the invention applied to a harness with swivel-hooks it orthe like at the ends of the straps to enable engagement with thequick-release device 2|. Adjusting buckles 22 may be arranged at thestraps 8. Also the straps 5, 6 and the other straps may be adjustable ina similar manner if desired. In similar manner the size of the loops oithe leg straps may be adjusted by suitable means. In this embodiment theriser straps 4, 40, may be substantially parallel while they cross eachother in Figure l. The device 2| may be attached to a flap 23 stitchedto straps 4 and/or 4a.

In Fig. 3 the outer leg straps 2 are made in one piece with or stitchedto the back seat strap l2 instead of being associated with the seatstrap I.

Figure 4 shows the lower part of the strap 5 in the case that the cord 6is omitted and the strap 5 itself extends through the loops of the legstraps 2, 3.

As many changes could be made in the above method and construction andmany apparently widely different embodiments of the invention could bemade without departing from the scope thereof, as defined by thefollowing claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the abovedescription shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

What I claim is:

1. In a parachute harness the combination of a sling in which the wearersits and including a seat portion with leg straps, chest strapsterminating in suspension straps, supporting straps, each extendingdownwards from the shoulder of the wearer to form a loop engaging andsupporting said leg straps, and quick connector means releasablyconnecting together the chest straps and the said supporting strapsengaging the leg straps.

2. In a parachute harness the combination of a sling in which the wearersits and including a seat portion with leg straps each forming a loop,chest straps, quick connector means releasably connecting together thechest straps, supporting straps each extending from a point near theshoulder 01' the wearer through the loops of the leg straps at eitherside of the seat portion and terminating in fastening parts adapted tobe releasably connected by the said connector means.

3. In a parachute harness the combination 0! a sling in which .thewearer sits and including a seat portion with a seat strap and a seatback strap, inner loop-like leg straps associated with the said seatstrap, outer loop-like leg straps associated with said seat back strapat either end thereof, riser straps extending from the seat portion andterminating in suspension straps, supporting straps extending along thesides of the wearer through the loops of the inner and outer leg strapsand terminating in fastening parts, and quick connector means releasablyconnecting together the fastening parts of said supporting straps.

4. In a parachute harness the combination of a sling in which the wearersits and including a seat portion with leg engaging means each forming aloop, supporting straps in the form of cords having round cross sectionand each associated at one end with suspension straps and extendingthrough the said loops of the leg engaging means at either side of theseat portion and quick connector means connecting the other ends of saidcordsa 5. A parachute harness as claimed in claim 4 in which the cord isa steel wire.

6. A parachute harness as claimed in claim 4 in which the cord iscovered by a protecting sheath.

HENRY WERNER KJELLSON.

